Lots of paths lead to eating healthier
- Melinda Hill, OSU Extension Wayne County
- April 3, 2023
- 409
We know that spring is on its way, and I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to a little less mud and the sights and sounds of spring. It’s a good time to refresh our outlook on diet and health.
When we think about the foods we eat on a regular basis, can we say we have a healthy diet? How do you set yourself up for overall healthy choices? There are many things that vie for our time, and our motivation may be distracted from reaching our goals. What can we do to set ourselves and our families up for eating healthier foods?
The environments in which we live, work, worship and play have an impact on the choices we make each day. Experts suggest that many of the decisions we make on a daily basis are unconscious, especially those pertaining to what, when, where, how much and how often we eat. This makes sense, because it would be exhausting to consciously think through every decision we make each day! Instead, many of our daily actions are dictated by routine, habit, and environmental cues.
For example, how often do you think through how, when, and where to brush your teeth? Probably not very often. Instead, you rely upon an established habit to keep your teeth clean and healthy. In the same way, habits, routines, and environmental cues influence our daily eating and physical activity choices in more ways than we realize. If you truly want to change a behavior for the better, it is worthwhile to consider how your home, work and social environments are either helping or hindering your success.
Begin by thinking about whether there are specific environmental cues or triggers in your home, office or community that lead you toward or away from your desired behavior. If you identify cues that are leading you away from your desired behavior, brainstorm ways to replace them with positive cues.
For example, if you’re trying to eat healthier:
—Have a variety of healthy food on hand, in places where it’s easy to see, convenient to eat (e.g. pre-sliced, prepared and/or pre-portioned) and appealing as an option. At the same time, keep unhealthy food out of the house (or at least out of sight) or purchase on a limited basis.
—Pack snacks and lunches so you’ll be less tempted to indulge when there are sweets in the breakroom at work, or when you need to run out for lunch and may not select the healthiest option because you’re hungry and in a hurry. This is the one that gets me, I’m in a hurry and hungry so I grab something on the go.
—Surround yourself with good role models. Just like spending time with positive people can help you develop a more positive outlook, spending time with people who practice the behavior you wish to adopt can rub off.
—Avoid going more than 3-4 hours without eating something small.
—Have healthy snacks in the car available when you pick children up from school or sports to hold them until mealtime.
—Put your utensils down between bites to slow down your eating. Savor the flavor of your food by chewing slowly and enjoying the mealtime experience.
Look for tips that work for you and your family and share with others. Helping children build a strong foundation of healthy foods will be an investment in their well-being for a lifetime.
Melinda Hill is an OSU Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Educator and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or hill.14@osu.edu.